Method of producing woven reed articles.



M. a. LLOYD. METHOD OF PBODGGWG WOKN REED AHHCLES.

APPLICATION HLED FEB. 6.1917- Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET L [raven/01- nf/4x66 fi Z50 M. B. LLOYD.

METHOD OF PRODUCING WOVEN REED ARTICLES.

APPLFCATION FILED FEB. 6.19l7- Patcnted Oat. 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Jive r M. B. LLOYD.

METHOD OF PRODUCHNG WOVEN REED ARHCLES.

APPLICATION man FEB-5.19M.

1 ,243,080. Patented Oct. 16, 1917 3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

manufacture of reed articles and re 35 others.

MARSHALL B. LLOYD, 0F MENOHINEE, MICHIGAN.

METHOD OF PRODUCING WOVEN REED ARTICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0ct. 16, 1917.

Original application filed July 17. 1916, Serial No. 109,714. Divided and this application filed February 6,

- 1917. Serial No. 146,909.

To an wrtom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARSHALL B. LLOYD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Menominee, county of Menominee, 6 and State of Michigan have invented a ce rtain new, useful, and improved Methodpf Producing Woven Reed Articles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to the ates more particularly to the manufactured reed fab ric, and also to its appllcntlon to supporting frames.

This ap lication is a divisional part of my co-pcn mg application, entitled Method of producing woven reed articles, filed July 17,1916, Serial No. 109 714; and 1S directed particularly' to the production of reed articles wherein the fabric is'not endless or tubular.

26 lengths have suiiicient rigidity to be'selfsup mrting and to resist considerable force tending to bend or kink abruptly. In this respect at least they difier greatly from the loose charactcrof the threadspf cloth 80 which canhe bent, twisted, or lunked in almost anymanner with little force and without materially injuring them. Upon these stakes long strands called fillers, are wovc'n over some of the stakes and under For example, the filler strand in some instances mayp'ass over one stake and under the next adjacent stake, or 1t may pass over one stake and under the next two adjaccnt stakes, or it may vary in the manner 40 in which it weaves under and over the stakes 46 is extensively used for chair seats and the like. While the filler strands may be and 'Sllllll'illlll'fi are put under such tension as will gradually curve orslnipcstnkcs, to the and that the iinishvd fabric will have the desired ,60 form, the stakes are not usually abruptly bent or displaced by .the filler strands, but on the other hand. thqif'fillnr strands are bent and shuprd to intcnwcavo around stakes.

In manufacturing reed articles, it has been the universal practice to weave the fabric free hand and for the reed worker to shape the article in the process of weaving to the desired form. If the article is one which must sustain considerable weight, or which is subjectto heavy strains in usei such-store example as a vehicle or an artic e of fur niture, it is customary toprovide a rigid frame and to cover the frame with the reed tomary to fasten the stakes in spaced relation to the article frame and then'to weave the filler strands thereon.

jectnt variousan les. During the weaving operation, under t e hitherto universal prac' If the articlejs one that is irregular in shape, the stakes protice, these stakes must be constantl sha' 06,

positioned, and alined so that t e fa ric will assume the desired shape and also will have an appearance of uniformity and ar ticularly to the end that the stakes shali assume regular lines. The operation of weaving and shaping the reed fabric'upon' the article is a most diiiicult one because of these manyvariable factors and hence reuire highly skilled workmen, so much so tiat Where there is any substantial amount of sha ing, as is accessory under present niethor s in an article having pleasing curved lines, only workers having, several years of experience can be employed and then the time-required is considerable even to manufacture a relatively small article. As a re sult of the foregoing facts reed articles,

while extensively used, are at the present time expensive.

The general-object of my inventidn is to provide a method wherewith it 'shall bepos sible to weave reed articles with greater raidity and at lower cost than has hitherto can possible.

Further obiects of'my invention are to provide a me bod of. weaving reed articles In which many of the hitherto variable elements or factors shall be eliminated; wherewith artistic articles having curved or irre ular lines can be produced with substantial y the same case astiie straight, uniform, and simple articles, with which it shall be possible to weave the reed fabric with greater uniformityl and with increased strength; wherewithii unskilled workers can produce read articles of the kind hitherto producible only by the most skilled workmen; and wherewith -l the hitherto hi hly individualistic weaving of each reed abric upon each article frame can be reduced to a factory system of weaving the reed fabricapart from tie frame and in applyin it thereto in a manner to-secure desired apes and effects.

My invention consists generally in the manner, steps, acts, and se uence thereof, whereby the above named o jects together with others which will appear hereinafter are obtainable; andm invention will be more readily understo b reference to the accom anying drawings il ustrative thereof,

Figure 1,. is a perspective view of an articleframe upon which it is desired to pro vide a reed covering.

{Fig 2,. is a top .plan view of'the frame shown in Fig. la

Fig. 3, ,is a/side elevation of the frame shown in Figs: 1 and 2.

F ig 4,1 4 side elevation of a templet, guide, or fform upon which I weave the abrie. I

Fig. 5, is aplanview of the device in Fig. 3'. l,

Fig. 6, illustratesthe manner in-which I weave the" fabric. V

;Fig. 7, is a plan view of the mechanism shown in {Fig '5.

Fig. 8, -is a. detail of the fabric in the course of nianufacture.

Fig. '9, is a cross-section of the fabric.

Fig. 10, is .a detailed view substantially on the line 10-10 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 11, is a side elevation of the finished fabric, apart from the templet.

Fig. 12 is a plan viewof the finished fabric. i Fig. 13, illustrates a stri of fabric which shown has becn-gzl produeed in on less form shown in Figs. J1 and l2and then severed to form a strip. If

Fig. 14;, is a side view showing one step in the operation of securing the fabric to the article frame.

Fig. 15, is a view showing a further step in the operation of scouring the fabric to' lhc article frame.

Fig. 1G, is a vertical transverse section through-tho finished article. i

Figsx'l'l and I8, illustmte a method of linishing' ithc fabric edge; and

Figs. W, 20, and 21, illuslratc ugnicthml ol ring dill'vrrnt shnprs, lo the fabric an the much-. I I Foipurpose of illustration, l have lhermolei,b r-uusc such articles on llic one hand fairly illustrate the dilliculties encountered in the production of reed articles under the hitherto universal method, and on the other hand the ease and simplicity of manufacturing articles under my method.

In the drawings, 1, illustrates the article frame which in this instance is somewhat U-shaped and has spaced upper and lower side bars 2- 2 and 3-3 which are connected at the front end by cross bars 4 and 4 and near the rear b a cross bar 5. This type of frame is use in the manufacture of an open backed baby carria e. In order better to understand the diliiculizies of weaving fabric upon the frame in the hitherto eus'tomary manner I shall first briefly -tl8- scribe that method. Under the former method the stakes are secured to the frame ins aced relation along the bottom portion of t e members 2' and 3 and along the front cross members 4'. In order to secure the bowed or curved shape in the fabric, as best shown in Figs. 16. 19 20, and 21, it has been necessary to fasten the stakes into the side portions of the frame so that they project substantially atright angles thereto. The reed workers having fastened the stakes in this position start at the bottom and weave the filler strand over and under the stakes,

at the same time shaping the stakes upwardly and placing the filler strands under ust the ri ht tension so, that the stakes can c gradua ly turned from their right angular positions progressively upward. To shape these divergent stakes gradually upwardly, to aintain them in proper spaced relation, and to shape the filler strand with just that degree of tension necessary to ive the desired sha e and character to the abric, is diflicult indeed because of the many variable factors which must he considered and for which compensation must he made.

.In wearing the article here depicted, under prior practice, the tiller strands are also wrapped around the portions 2 and 3 and passed back along the some side. in other words the fillerstrand follows a U coursc alternating from one extreme to the other.

, I have solved this dillicult complex problcm in a very simple way by eliminating many of the variable factors and reducing the remaining ones to simple easily undcrstood and easily. munipulntcd steps. To this and instead of waving the fabric upon the article Home which is usually of irrcg uhu' shape, and which at best is poorly adapted forconvenient wearing, l weave the fabric imhqu-mh-nt of the article frame in a convenient umnucr and thou apply the finished wort-4| fabric to and sccurc It u on tho nrtic-lc frame... As will lll lictlcr um orstood shortly.-indhis way. M'mlrc l'rrrdom tins. An -"in l grip spm-c, and hold the.

stakes in such a way and in relation to a mechanical guide, templet, or form so that the most unskilled worker can weave the fabric by simply Weaving in a natural man nor around or against the templet or form.

The templet is of such character that the fabric-produced thereon will fit the desired frame, but the templct or form need not be of the same shape as the article to be covcred as I find I can reshape the reed fabric after it is finished to admit covering article frames varying considerabliy in size, shape and character. In fact, find that the weaving operation is greatly facilitated in many instances by weaving the fabric upon a circular or endless form or templet severing the fabric to destroy its endless form and then reshaping the fabric to elongated or such other shape as may be desired, or

necessary for attaclmientto the'article.

In the drawings 5, represents a suitable templet upon which I prefer in many instances to weave the fabric and which inthis instance comprises a lower annulus 6, and

5 an upper annulus 7, between. which are a plurality of members 8, which serve as guides, limiting devices, or restraining elements as will be hereinafter more fully described. It so happens in this instance that it is desirable that the side of the article shall take a gentle bow as indicated in Fig. 16 and for this reason I prefer to make the sizes and relation of th guides 8, in suh a manner that a line connecting their eripheries would becurved or bowed. T e ternplet 5, is preferably mountcdfor rotation al though this is a mere matter of convenience, upon a support 9, by any suitable means such for example, as the vertical shaft 10 49 which is secured centrally of the templet ant whichhas a projecting portion enterin a socket in the support. In the lower annu us (3, are a number of holes 11,-suitably spaced in which the stakes 15, are placed and from 451 which theyozpstand as illustrated in Figs.

(5 and 'F. Thcsestakes it will be noted, upstand in regular form and encircle the templet guides 8. It is a most simple operation for the worker to weayp the filer. strands 5 upon the stakes in thisconditi u, it being but necessary to continue the filler strand or strnnrls over and under the stakes and uroumllrhc templet in regular courses from the-bottom to the top, or conversely from the top to the bottom if desired, although-l find it more convenient to work from the bottom upwardly. The filler strands are pulled so thnt'the stakes just follow the glllllofi 8, of the templet, substantially as in rlirulrdin Fig. 10. The templct, therefore,

so limil s the movement of the stakes and the tunsiun upon the filler strands that the fabricis naturally shaped to the form of the tvmplvt. The relatively close relation of the as guides 8. prevents the stakes from being bent endless or tubular form and provide a strip as indicated in Fig. 13. Without applying forces to distend the fabric it will retain geuerully'its circular shape. In this condition it can be easily placed. over the article frame starting the large open endi of the fabricover the bottom smaller end of the frame. Having placed the. fabric upon the frame as indicated in the side view Fig. 14, I

fasten it to the ends of the frame in which condition it will be noted that the fabric projects above the middle portion of the side members of the frame and does not quite ex tend to the lower mrtion. The reason for this is that the filler strands of the fabric are woven.v in regular pmgressive courses while the frame is curved or dc iressed in the middle. I have discovered, that I can readily shape the fa )ric to the frame by simply pullingupon it and also that the stakes serve as convenient handles for that purpose. I ends of the stakes ,,unti the lowermost filler strand substantially coincides with the lower frame member at which time I secure the fabric in )lace by means of tacks, brads or other suita. lo fastening, devices. By mole ull upon the lower .ing the lower portion ofthe fabric follow.

the lower frame members the upper portion will generally follow the upper frame members as indicated in Fig. 15. In this manner the uniform filler strand courses are made to assume the desired irregular course necessary to fit the article. It is immaterial whether or not a slight amount of the fabric projects above the frame as it can be readily folded thereon. Tn fact, in some instances l rlesignedly provide sullicieutfnln'ie for that purpose. Thus it becomes evidentthat I can manufacture the fabric. with the filler strands progressing in regular mmrsos and 2:. ply the finished fabric to an ai'ticldt which ii lthc fabric were woven thereon would requilre, that the worker shape the strands irregularly and in ncmmrnllcl relation. It. will be undcrstc'uul tllnLtho end portions 18 of the severed fabric are folded over the portions 2"-ll" of the frame and there fastened by suitable fastening din-ices (see Fig. 15) Tu this manner a U-shnped or open lmx-korl rccrl article is produced.

In this instance I have left from" Jeigs 11 and 12) and thereby destroy its htnvever,

At this time T might also state that T can give varyring degrees of curvature to the sides of the article bndy' (cross-scctionally considered) if by; fastenin' the fabric along the bottom or top and pi} in with greater or lesser force gtli ns placingytiic fabric under more or less tehsion.

; fabric or folded it well over the frame memblcrsand have made it si'ibstantially taut 'tlicrchetwegen. This gives but; little curva- 1' hire to the sides and to secure a, somev-xl'lat greater cnrvatnrc I ma y proceed as indicated I in; Fig. 19; whercinl haveillnstrated the same. fabric pulled with, less force and wrapped n" lesser distance around the frame 1 which gh s a r-renter how or-ninre cnrvatnrc .to the, fame} Again I may secnr'a still greater hojw or curvature b proceeding as indicated rin Fig. .21. In tiisyinstance the fabric isimt wrapped around. frame niem- 2O hers bonny. substantial extent lillt is secured somewhat mining the sides of the frame. thus placing all of the fabric between frame niemhers'iand consequently giving it a greater how or curvature with a resulting 2 diminution in the tension. in this way a niinnhei' of dill'errnt cilia-ls can he produ ed from a given falu-ie.

Tn Figlf lfi, l have. illllstl'flttdpilir reed simplynttai'hed in the arl-ivle frame and before theinnit-cling endpnrtions oi the Stakesnreifohlod down to present a. finished y edge. ere are. many ways oil 'linishing he edge i"-i1i iefabric and l-hni'e. illustrated i liiit one, fay in Figs. 17 and 1 The. porf lions IT nan; stakes are bent atlright angles as nliifatrd; by the dolted line (see Figxl'i) lltll end pol-lion passing over the next adj rent stake and lwhiml-the second ()I'll!lllllfiiilillillillfilHg n linislwd edge 15. as 40 shown hiring. 13. Of course, inlay 20 fin .g'os ol' the. fabric before it is placed l'i'ame ii" drsirrih but. -I'h:ive so far more eonvei'niaitto leave-the proand to iinish 1-45 them alli'irlln-v are placed upon the-article.

It may hewell here to note. that in prolnring ar'l-irle slnnvndiy. the hitherto hanalfn'lliml; it is m-rrssary to employ .niany rl' lengths which nmal'he woven 1:50 in place. Where the. l'aln'io departs iron! the general m n-L my imveLmrl'hod the by full ength strain 1. i'e rnla 5 enrahl "pain-i al, a single i-lrand{eanfhe woven 1 hi minilele the entire fabric Ngreat savfirth-timeand malerialwis[has elierll'relneinloni-z :nI r d ms ofthis ii in obvious to skilled in lhinrl l'urlher i'nii Ill. lil'v'inr the in i no fiili'tliltjti ion Hlf 1'l:lilll. I, n'nil xii y iiiinitinii to tfliilillin: ,di ivhieh cooperate ia tlar manner u'rmiingcan he done. is ser ally woven in In Fig. 20, I have-wrapped the muniinrm course; while, .hy'

oiirsrs, nl' avhere-tlW l'ltll is jn'o nl endless form as; lor eainnple,

above described as are characteristic of the stake and strand fabric made of reed, but to embrace such materials whether they be the natural reed, paper reed, or other materials having the general characteristics of reed.

For some articles, templets, forms, or mechanical guides of different sizes shapes ancif character will he ennloyerl, but my nn-thodwill be found to he characterized by weaving the reed fabric in a manner convenient for the weaving operation and when necessary or desirable reshapin an applying it to the article frame, as Istingmshed from the hitherto universal practire of wearing in. a manner which is inconvenient slow, laborious amldependent upon a hig 1 degree of skill in the workman. With my method by providing relatively few .templets of different sizes and .shapes reed arlirlesin great variety can be pr' rlneed rapidly by unskilled workers and relativeli low cost.

lllzlsmlllll as this disclosure will readil suggest to others skilled in the art to which this n'pper sins, various methods whereby the substantial objects of my invention can be attained, i do not wish to be limited to the. sperilii: stat-ed manner of procedure nor to the. precise steps, acts, or stated sequence thereof, exvept only as may be necessary by lin ialinns in the hereunto appended claims. l claim: t

1. The methodofmannfaclnrin reed arlielos having a frame and a non-endless reed fabric which consists in weaving the reed ram-itin endless form, severing the fabric to destroy ils endless-form and attaching the Fabric to the frame.

The method of manufacturing reed ar- ,iirlrs havin}, a frame and a non-endless reed fabric which consists in weavin the reed inln'ir in an endless form di erent from the frame, severing the fabric to destroy its endless form. re-shaliing it and'atinching it to the. frame.

':l. The method of nmnnl'arturing reed aritch-s ha vine; a frame and a non-endless reed fabric which consists in weaving the reed 'l'aln'iiabout a templet in an endless form dill'erent from the frame. severing the fabric to destroy its emlless form, .re-shaping it land alla hihg it in the irmne.

l. The method of nmnufm-tm-ing reed ariii'hs ha ring a frame and a noni-endless reed l'ahrir ivhirh consists in wearing the reed i'ahr'nin endless form of cii-rulancross sec- Jim: and l ilii llllli; from the frame, severing the l'albrio'lo destroy its endless form,- re

shaping it and allaehing'ilin the frame.

5. The method ol' mannlaelin'ing ri'ed articles having-.1 l'rame and a non-endless reed -l'ala-iu' ivli'n-h t'HlL l:-i:-l in weaving the reed fabric bind a templet inan endless form nl"vimalaria-ow se tion and different from 130 articles havin the frame, severin endless form, re-s it to the frame.

6. The method of manufacturing reed articles having a frame and a non-endless reed fabric which consists in Weaving the reed fabric in an endless form, severing the fabric to destroy its endless form, folding desired marginal portions of the fabric out of its plane of Weave and attaching the fabric to the frame.

'7. The method of mauufacturin reed articles havin a frame and a non cn less reed fabric Whic 1 consists in weaving the fabric in endless form, severing the fabric to destroy its endless form, rc-shaping the body portions of the fabric, folding desired marginal portions out of the plane of Weave, and attachin the fabric to the frame.

8. The met 0d of manufacturing reed articles having a frame and a non-endless reed fabric which consists in weavin the fabric in endless form, severing the abric to destroy its endless form, folding desired marginal portions of the fabric over the frame and attaching the fabric to the frame.

9. The method of manufacturing reed articles havin frame and a non-endless reed fabric whicl consists in weaving the fabric in endless form different from the. frame, severing the fabric to destroy its endless form, reshaping the body of the fabric, folding desired marginal portions of the fabric over the frame and attaching the fabric to the frame.

10. The method of manufacturing reed a frame and a non-endless reed fabric w ich consists in weaving the reed fabric in an endless form with the filler strands upon the stakes in substantially parallel relations, severing the fabric to destroy its endless form, re-shapin the fabric to cause a substantial part a? the filler strands to assumenon-parallel relations at the fabric to destroy' its iaping it and attac ling least in part, and attaching the fabric to the frame.

11. The method of manufacturing reed articles having a frame and a non-endless reed fabric which consists in weaving the fabric in endless form different from the frame and with the filler strands upon the stakes in substantially parallel relations, severing the fabric to destroy its endless form, re shaping the fabric out of the plane of Weave, re-shaping the fabric to cause a substantial part of the filler strands to assume non-parallel relations at least in part, and attaching the fabric to the frame.

12. The method of manufacturing reed articles havin a frame and a non-endless reed fabric WllCll consists in weaving the fabric in endless form and of difi'erent cross sectional dimensions. severin the fabric to destroy its endless form an attaching the fabric to the frame.

13. The method of manufacturing reed articles havin a frame and a non-endless reed fabric w ich consists in weaving the fabric in endless form with its contour curved with respect to its axis at least in part, and having different cross sectional dimensions, severing the fabric to destroy its endless form, and attaching the fabric to the frame.

14. The method of manufacturing reed articles havin a frame and a non-endless reed fabric w 1011 consists in weaving the templet, in endless form curved with respect to its art; severing the fabric to destroy its end ess form, re-shaping the fabric out of its plane of Weave and attachin the fabric to the frame.

15. he method of manufacturing reed articles havin a frame and a non-endless reed fabric w ich consists in weaving the fabric, about a tempiet, in endless form with its contour curved with respect to its axis at least in part, severing the fabric to destroy its endless form, re-shaping the body of the fabric, folding desired marginal portions of the fabric out of its plane of weave and attaching the fabric to the frame.

16. The method of manufacturing reed articles having a frame and a non-endless fabric which consists in weaving the fabric, about a mmplet, in endless form with its contour curved with respect to its axis at least in part, folding desired marginal portions of the fabric over the frame, distorting the fabric edgewise and securing the fa ric to the frame.

1?. The method of manufacturing non-- circular reed articles which consists i n urofabric, about a with its contour axis at least in viding an article frame, weaving the fabric to circular form, severing the finished reed fabric and applying it to the article frame.

In testimony thereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 25th day of January, 1917, in the presence of. two subscribing witncsses.

MARSHALL B. LLOYD. 'itnesses:

Airmen WM. N arson, FRANK L. SALEN. 

